We are struggling with this subject yet again. We process in excess of 7 million checks a month, and frequently encounter checks where the legal line and courtesy box is different.
Our dilema is, that when processing these checks, we can often see from the source document what the customer intended, but there are cases when we still screw it up. either from the customers point of view, or the paying bank.

Currently we are taking the checks strictly for what is written on the legal line (UCC.3.114). While we don't get any returns from Paying banks anymore, we still get customer complaints.

It is really amazing to me how many people out there just don't know how to write a check.

How do you handle these at your bank?

Firefighter: Thanks for the reply. We are not concerned with discrepancies under $1. I would say that for "cents" errors, 99.99% go through without being noticed by either the customer or the bank. Our concern is more with real dollar differences. For example the courtesy box says $200. but the legal line says "two and........xx/00" but the customers source document indicated that they wanted to pay the $200. We take the legal line, but irritate the customer.

These are always the drawers fault, but it would either be us or the paying bank that gets made out to be the bad guy.

For example the courtesy box says $200. but the legal line says "two and........xx/00" but the customers source document indicated that they wanted to pay the $200. We take the legal line, but irritate the customer

Interesting that the customer would be mad at you. Maybe you can start charging them a "mindreading" fee. I think this falls under the "damned if you do damned if you don't" rule.